HYPOTHESIS & VARIABLES

variable

property or quantity that can be taken ondifferent values

IV

manipulated such that its values are chosen and set by the researcher.

DV

pertains to behavior orchange in characteristic of the subject during experimentation

experimental

group of subjects that is exposed to a certain treatment.

control

exposed to the absence of the treatment.

null

indicates the value of population parameter to be tested. This is known as hypothesis of "no difference". Usually, this type of hypothesis is formulated for the sole purpose of being rejected

alternative

operational statement of the experimenter's research hypothesis or the prediction derived from the theory being tested

cause and effect

reflects the connection of two variables of the main subject in the study

quantitative

can take values corresponding to the points on a real line

qualitative

are variables that are not numerical

nominal

groups of the subjects when the values of the variables differ by category; counting and classification

ordinal

categories or labels, but have a natural order or ranking; intervals between categories are not necessarily equal or meaningful

interval

have a natural order but have equal intervals between values; lack a true zero point

ratio

have all the characteristics of interval data, plus they have a true zero point (complete absence of the quantity being measured)